When it is said
Orthodox Christians pray to these three martyrs when a family is torn by quarrels or a marriage is in trouble.
This prayer is meant for home. A husband or a wife may pray it for their own marriage, and anyone may pray it for a couple they love.
The Orthodox Church in America keeps the martyrs’ feast on 15 November.
Where it comes from
No author known
Who were they?
Gurias and Samonas were two friends who preached in the city of Edessa. They were arrested in the persecution under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian and beheaded outside the city at night, some time between AD 299 and 306. Some years later a deacon of Edessa named Habibus was burned alive for his faith under the emperor Licinius. His mother and relatives buried him beside the two friends.
Orthodox Church in America, Holy Martyrs and Confessors Gurias, Samonas, and Habibus, of Edessa
Why they are prayed to for marriage
After the three martyrs died, a Gothic soldier serving in Edessa married a young woman named Euphemia. At the martyrs’ graves he had sworn to her mother that he would always love and cherish her. But he already had a wife in his own country, and when he took Euphemia there she became that wife’s slave. She prayed to the three martyrs who had witnessed his oath, and the Lord brought her home to her mother in Edessa.
Orthodox Church in America, Holy Martyrs and Confessors Gurias, Samonas, and Habibus, of Edessa
Where the prayer comes from
Its author and date are unknown. It appears in a Russian prayer book among the prayers for times of discord in a family. Beside it is a second prayer to the martyrs, taken from their akathist, a long hymn of praise. The akathist greets the three as heavenly patrons of honourable marriage.
Azbyka.ru prayer book, Prayers in family discord (in Church Slavonic); Orthodox Church in America, Holy Martyrs and Confessors Gurias, Samonas, and Habibus, of Edessa
The Scripture in it
Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”
He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Church Slavonic
О, преславнии мученицы Гурие, Самоне и Авиве!
К вам, яко скорым помощникам и теплым молитвенникам, мы, немощнии и недостойнии, прибегаем, усердно моляще:
не презрите ны, во многая беззакония впадшия и по вся дни и часы согрешающия;
наставите на путь правый заблуждшия, исцелите страждущия и скорбящия;
соблюдите ны в непорочнем и целомудреннем житии;
и якоже древле, тако и ныне покровители супружеств пребудите, в любве и единомыслии сия утверждающе и от всех злых и бедственных обстояний избавляюще.
Защитите, о многомощныя исповедницы, вся православныя христианы от напастей, злых человек и козней демонских;
оградите я от нечаянныя смерти, умоляюще Всеблагаго Господа, да великия и богатыя милости нам, смиренным рабом Своим, пробавит.
Несмы бо достойни нечистыми устами призывати великолепое имя Создателя нашего, аще не вы, святии мученицы, за ны ходатаи будете;
сего ради к вам прибегаем и предстательства вашего пред Господем о нас просим.
Такожде избавите нас от глада, потопа, огня, меча, нашествия иноплеменных, междоусобныя брани, смертоносныя язвы и всякаго душепагубнаго обстояния.
Ей, страстотерпцы Христовы, устройте нам молитвами вашими вся благая и полезная, да благочестно житие временное прешедше и кончину непостыдну стяжавше, удостоимся теплым заступлением вашим со всеми святыми одесную Правосуднаго Бога Судии стати, и Того непрестанно славити со Отцем и Святым Духом во веки.
Аминь.